1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating tobacco leaves. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating freshly harvested tobacco leaves wherein the tobacco leaves can be processed from the field directly into a usable smoking product.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the art to take tobacco from the fields and then subject it to curing conditions. The cured tobacco, generally referred to as "green tobacco" or "raw tobacco," is then subjected to subsequent processing operations, including midrib removal, redrying, aging, and particle size reduction. The resulting tobacco is then manufactured into a smoking article. Examples of the aforementioned include U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,025 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,176. However, there has not been a means disclosed for taking freshly harvested tobacco and processing the fresh tobacco into a product which can be used as a smoking article immediately upon harvesting.